Poseidon’s warriors have learned that the battle to protect humanity produces unexpected enemies--and alliances. But none more unexpected than the bond between a cursed Atlantean warrior and a woman whose sight surpasses any lie…

A warrior with no emotion …
Doomed by Poseidon millennia ago to live life bereft of feelings, Atlantean warrior Brennan’s curse is shattered when he meets Tiernan--a human with the ancient Gift of Truth Telling. Attraction turns deadly when the woman he could never forget becomes the woman he can never remember. With the fate of Atlantis on the line, will a warrior’s uncontrollable desire destroy the world?

A woman with an eye for the truth…
Tiernan’s job as an investigative reporter is perfectly suited to her unique ability to see through any falsehood. But when she discovers human scientists conducting hideous experiments on humans and shape-shifters alike, only a wildly sexy Atlantean can help protect her from those determined to see her fail—and die. When the future of the world is at stake, can she overcome death itself so together they can protect mankind?

When truth and passion collide…Atlantis is redeemed.

Title: Atlantis Redeemed
Author: Alyssa Day
Series: Warriors of Poseidon, book 5
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Berkeley Sensation
Year of release: 2010, March 2
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages
Source: Bought via The Book Depository

First line: Brennan fell against the stone wall of the tavern, his wild laughter tinged with madness

Memorable Scenes:
I’m absolutely sure there were some memorable scenes but unfortunately I didn’t mark them/write them down and as I read this book about 5 months ago I can’t remember any, which totally makes me annoyed at myself.

Brennan wooed me with his gentlemanly ways. He's protective and courteous with a deep fierce and passionate side to him. Don't let the gentlemanly ways trick you into thinking he's anything less than a strong, fearless warrior who goes into berserker mode when his woman is in danger. I loved that right at the beginning (in the prologue) it is explained why Brennan was stripped of his emotions and yet there were plenty of questions left to find answers to throughout the book.

Tiernan Butler is an investigative reporter and a walking lie detector, she has the Gift to tell lies from truth just from hearing them. She's a Truth Teller. Tiernan is headstrong, courageous and tenacious.

Brennan caught my eye from the first moment I read about him in ATLANTIS RISING yet I was hesitant to read his story because in many of my favorite ongoing series the secondary characters that enthralled me in previous books don't do so well in their own books and disappointed me being the main character instead of secondary. But Brennan certainly did do well, oh how he did well. He exceeded my already high expectations and didn't disappoint. And Tiernan, his heroine fits right in the line of great heroines the Warriors of Poseidon series has to offer.

One thing Alyssa Day never fails at, is keeping the ongoing plot-arc going full force and very clear and understandable yet without rehashing big parts of it. Every one of the books in this series could be read as stand alones, though order-obsessed as I am I do feel the overall enjoyment is greater when the books are read in order, but as a loyal reader I am thrilled to see little to none repetitiveness and I can't praise Ms. Day enough for it.

Another thing that reels me in every time with Alyssa Day’s books, no matter if I immediately click with the characters or not, is the humor infused in every installment. It pleases me every single book again and I know that no matter what else I may think of the books, the humor is always there to put a smile on my face.

At page 205 I was still waiting for an appearance by Anubisa, my hate-her-but-love-the-zing-she-adds-to-the-plot villainess and even though no Anubisa I was very satisfied with the overall plot arc. It tied neatly with the earlier books in the series and moved forward through some intriguing developments. I am so ready for the next book.

With ATLANTIS REDEEMED another layer has been added to the overall plot arc, just when I thought Alyssa Day couldn't surprise me any more she did and I loved it. She had me laughing one page, crying on the next, looking for a something to cool me down with one moment and entranced in the evil plot the next moment. This book gave me everything I was looking for in this series.

Favorite Quotes:
She wanted to protect him. She was defending him.
His heart so long unused fell out of his body and shattered into tiny pieces at her feet. He wanted to weep. He wanted to shout out his joy and triumph to the universe. He did neither, but simply moved to stand at her side, where he hoped to spend the rest of eternity.

She threw up her arms and started walking again. “Great. I needed stealth for undercover work and I get Rambo with a definite need for a time-out chair.”

Tiernan couldn’t believe she’d done it. Thrown her shirt and her caution aside; probably her common sense, too. But relief and passion and something far stronger than both pushed her toward this. Toward him.
He tried to be a gentleman about it, she could tell, but it was hard for him since he was staring at her breasts like heaven had opened up and dumped a load of angel dust in his lap.
She grinned at him. “Men. You’re all the same. Human or Atlantean, you’re all helpless in the face of naked boobs.”

Brennan found that he was cursing; a steady, virulent stream of ancient Atlantean that should have singed the flesh of a man’s bones. He switched to English. “Touch her and die. I will hunt you down, peel the skin from your body, and eat the beating heart from your chest if you touch so much as one hair on her head.”

Poseidon’s warriors swore an oath eleven thousand years ago to protect humanity from those who stalked the night. Yet when a woman with an ancient Gift dares to claim the heart of one of Poseidon’s fiercest warriors, the world teeters on the knife’s edge between desire and darkness . . .

A WARRIOR SCARRED…
Alexios survived two years of unspeakable torture at the hands of a vampire goddess. Now he’s been ordered to team up with a beautiful warrior and take on the most dangerous mission of his life: to retrieve the Vampire’s Bane. Without it, Atlantis can’t ascend to the surface and take its rightful place in the world. But when evil threatens, will Alexios be led by duty—or his heart?

A DESCENDANT OF DIANA…
Grace is part of the rebellion against the vampires and shape-shifters trying to take over her world. She is deadly with her bow, because when she takes aim, she never misses her target. But suddenly she’s focused on a damaged Atlantean warrior who sees her as a weapon, not as a woman. When thousands of lives are on the line, will passion overrule, or will her aim still be true?

When two worlds collide…Atlantis is unmasked.

Grace Havilland is a descendant of the Goddess of the Hunt, Diana, complete with bow and arrows. She's a true warrior woman who is independent, fierce, headstrong and courageous.

Alexios is a Warrior of Poseidon who is a lot more than meets the eye. He is quiet and intense, sincere and honorable, loyal, powerful, broken and uncertain he is able to love. His imprisonment with the vampire Goddess Anubisa has left him scarred both emotionally and physically.

ATLANTIS UNMASKED starts right after an attack on the St. Louis rebel headquarters. Grace's best friend Michelle is injured in the attack and when Alexios and Grace are alone after taking the seriously injured Michelle to the hospital, they share a kiss that sends Alexios running as fast as he can from Grace. But he can't keep running because when the Fae High Prince contacts Grace wanting her to set up a meeting with the Atlanteans to discuss the problems with the vampires, he is sent back to her as the Atlantean representative and to train the group of rebel recruits she commands. Amidst feral shifter attacks, injuries and sparring sessions Grace and Alexios grow closer and closer and the attraction between them is undeniable.

I don't know what to say about this installment of the Warriors of Poseidon so this isn't going to be one of my long-winded, ranting and raving reviews. It definitely felt different from the previous books I read in this series. In every series there's a book that is what I call the transition book. The book that falls right in the middle of the overall story arc and even though it continues the arc it doesn't move forward with it. To me ATLANTIS UNMASKED was the transition book in this series. I liked it a lot but I did miss the sizzle of the first few books in this series and I missed the overall story arc a bit as it was just mentioned a few times. And I am also a bit ambivalent about the ending. Though it rounded off the book perfectly, it was kind of sudden and felt a bit rushed compared to the rest of it. It felt to me as if all the action and resolution were cramped into the last 20 pages and I am not used to that by Alyssa Day. This was an installment I just didn't feel as connected with as with the rest of the books in this series. Unfortunately that can happen.

Were there things I liked about the book too, you ask? Of course there were! I love the banter between the warriors, which was of old and a joy to read again and their self-deprecating humor that gets to me every single time. I loved a certain joyful event that took place in the beginning of the book, an event I have been waiting for from the moment I closed the first book. I loved that the mutual pining and not acting on it stopped just before it started to bother me. I loved that the focus was on the romance between Grace and Alexios and liked the fodder for speculations about the Fae, Alaric, Quinn and Michelle sprinkled throughout the book. I adored Christophe who is getting cockier and more fascinating by the page and I can't wait to read his story and see him find the woman who will make him take it down a notch. So thanks to the ambivalent ending that predicted a lot of interesting twists and turns to come I am looking forward to continuing with the next installment of this series.

Quotes:
She’d met Alexios months ago and seen him sporadically since but she’d never been in such a small space with him. It felt like being trapped in a cage with a lion who’d just eaten a full meal. Deadly, dangerous and exhilarating, but maybe –just maybe– you’d live through it.

“Let’s get out of here then,” Christophe said. “It’s stioll early enough to find a top-notch ale and a woman with a big, round ass who is willing to do very nasty things to me.”

If a poem could dance of the pages of a book and wield daggers and a sword, the sight of it might come close to describing Alexios in motion.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10


Because I had the pleasure of winning a signed copy of ATLANTIS UNMASKED and I’d already bought my copy to read before that, I now have two copies of it and since I have no need for two copies I’ve decided to give away the unsigned copy to one of my readers/followers.

All you have to do to enter is tell me what you’re reading at the moment and leave me a way to contact you.

This giveaway is open to all and I’ll randomly pick a winner on Friday, June 4th!!

Have fun!

Jacket Copy:
Poseidon’s warriors swore an oath eleven thousand years ago to protect humanity from those who stalked the night. Now those powerful forces are uniting. So are two souls who are all that stand between justice and the eternal darkness…

A warrior prince…Lord Justice made the ultimate sacrifice for his brother and paid for it with an unimaginable torture. Now he’s back, rescued from death, his sanity shaken, and his mission inescapable—the search for the lost Star of Artemis. But the beautiful human female whom he has sworn to protect is shadowed by an evil that could destroy them both…

A woman of science…The archaeological artifacts of Atlantis speak to Dr. Keely McDermott, sharing visions of life long ago. The ancient revelations have cast her into a world between past and present, between reality and illusion—and, when she meets the fierce Atlantean warrior assigned to guard her, between terror and temptation. Now as their two worlds collide, so too will danger and desire…

A quest for a lost star…Atlantis is unleashed.

A self-sacrificing half Nereid/half Atlantean warrior on the edge of sanity because of his fractured soul, a feisty, pragmatic and independent object-reading archeologist, a pre-destined love match, a quest for a lost gem and plans to wreak havoc on a vampire goddess. These are the ingredients of the newest installment in the WARRIORS OF POSEIDON series!

Let me start by stating that this was a book of which I have been anticipating its release for well over a year! I read ATLANTIS AWAKENING in November 2007 and upon closing that book I was desperate to know how things would continue. At that time the wait was going to be about 6 months. However, unfortunately due to circumstances beyond the author's control that 6-month period was extended to waiting for over 18 months before I could satisfy my need for Justice's story. In this period my anticipation grew and grew and grew and when this book finally arrived on my doorstep I literally cheered and couldn't wait to dive into it. I am glad and very relieved to say that my very high expectations of this book were thoroughly met.

The first two chapters chained me to both Keely and Justice with such strong emotions that I just knew this was going to be worth every minute of the long wait. Then, unexpectedly, after those first two chapters I had a little bit of trouble getting into the flow of the story but this was just for a brief moment and I think I could have avoided this little hitch if I had re-read at least ATLANTIS AWAKENING before diving into ATLANTIS UNLEASHED. More importantly, it was so minor that before long I was pulled into a book that gave me a cast of warriors anyone should have at his or her back, a wonderful heroine and a tormented hero I just wanted to cuddle up to, wrap my arms around and tell him everything was going to be okay. After the few chapters it took me to get reacquainted with the world of Atlantis, I just wasn't able to let go of this book. With every page I went down deeper and deeper into this intriguing world that Alyssa Day is building up excellently. She did it again and gave me a book that fitted the previous ones perfectly and still had its own unique vibe and story.

What I truly love about Alyssa Day's books are her characters and her world building. The men are alpha to the core but still very much aware of their weaknesses and flaws. They are dominant without being overbearing or annoying and they have a great sense of humor. I really admire Alyssa Day for being able to write heroes like these and I absolutely think it is linked to the heroines she pairs the Warriors with. The women in Day's books are all strong, feisty and no-nonsense heroines, who aren't afraid to put the men in their right places when they threaten to cross the line, whether that is in dominance, in arrogance or with stupid actions.

In this book I liked that Keely was just as protective of Justice as he was of her. But then again I liked Keely a lot. I loved her dry sense of humor, her strength of character, her tenacity, her courage and her compassion. Despite all she has gone through with her gift that others, even those closest to her, mistake for insanity, she takes life as it comes, makes the best of it and is there to help others, to help Justice. She is truly light to his darkness.

And then Justice, he really touched my heart. His youth, his fractured soul, his internal fights both between honor and defiance and between doing what's right or giving into his power-hungry side. It all made they way he cared for Keely and the way he clung to his sanity for her sake, more intense. He came from a dark, dark place and struggled his way to the light, both literally and figuratively. I must confess that, in the previous books, Justice only caught my attention at the very end of ATLANTIS AWAKENING but with his own book he has made a big and lasting impression on me. And that’s another winning point for Alyssa Day, because there are authors out there who manage to do exactly the opposite with secondary characters turned heroes.

The secondary characters are mainly the other warriors and potential heroines and I foresee some more great chemistry and dialogue in future books of this series. I caught some glimpses of Alaric, Alexios, Christopher and Brennan that make their stories much anticipated. Because of the set-up of Justice and Keely's story the supporting characters’ roles where less prominent than in the other books but still there was enough room for the familiar and much appreciated brotherly bantering and camaraderie. There are a few other secondary characters that intrigued me, especially the ones in Guatemala. For fear of spoilers I'm not able to say much about them but I have to say one of them gave the story a very heart breaking and endearing dimension.

Alyssa Day's world building is something that I noticed and liked from the very beginning. It started in ATLANTIS RISING, was continued in ATLANTIS AWAKENING and the novellas and now in ATLANTIS UNLEASHED once again I wasn’t disappointed with it. Not only does she provide a comprehensible and clear background for the characters and plot, she also weaves plotlines seamlessly into each other. She connects elements that seem unrelated in a very subtle way, bringing it all together for the reader without much difficulty and with the perfect balance between plot and romance and characters.

Compared to the other WARRIORS OF POSEIDON books/novellas, there aren't many sex scenes in this one ("only" two), but that didn't bother me at all, because the ones that are in there, boy, Alyssa Day really makes them count. They are touching and arousing at the same time, oozing with a hungry urgency and sizzling passion and still there is room for humor and fun. For me quality is much more important than quantity. I’d rather read one excellent love scene in a book than half a dozen halfhearted ones and Alyssa Day fulfilled this requirement with flying colors in ATLANTIS UNLEASHED.

One thing I did expect in this book, and I was a bit sad about it when it did not come, was a confrontation with Anubisa, the vampire goddess. It was something that was in my line of expectation after the previous books but surprisingly Alyssa Day took me in a different direction with that part of the ongoing plot. Still I think she is setting up the ongoing plot brilliantly, she just took a different corner than I was expecting in this book.

With every book the plot seems to get clearer and a sense of understanding is beginning to dawn, at least with me. I have my suspicions about what direction Alyssa Day is taking but I also say this with much caution because my favorite authors (and Alyssa Day is one of them) always seem to surprise me with unexpected twists and turns. Needless to say that I am willing to go wherever she takes me in all this and even though I missed a true battle with Anubisa, it still didn't take away my satisfaction with the plot part of this book.

ATLANTIS UNLEASHED was a wonderful story of love, sacrifice, darkness and light. It was filled with witty fun, arousing sensuality and at times tear jerking emotions. With every word, every page, every chapter this book got better and better, working up to a mind-blowing, emotional and action-packed conclusion. All I can say is that I'm ready for the next Warrior of Poseidon to tell me his story when I dive back into the Alyssa Day's world of Atlantean warriors, courageous human women, shape-shifters and vampires.

Quotes:
“You are her. You are Keely."
"Yes," she replied, voice barely a whisper. "I am Keely." He smiled a slow, dangerous smile, and the whiteness of his teeth was almost shocking in the darkness of his face. "We are Justice," he said. "And you are ours."

And then in an act of courage beyond any he'd known in all of his centuries, he raised his head to take one last look at Keely. He drank in the sight of her (...) "Remember me, my lady, that is all I ask of you for this or any lifetime. Remember me, although you never knew me, for I feel that I have known you for all eternity and hungered for you for even longer, still."

Alejandro stood up, leveling his shotgun at the vamp's head. "I propose a barter," he said calmly. The vamp barked out a chilling burst of laughter. "What barter could you--"
The shotgun bucked and roared and exploded the vamp's head into acid chunks of skull and meat. Justice shot a look at Alejandro, who shrugged as the vampire's headless body fell to the ground, dissolving in a flood of slime. "My shotgun shell for his head. Seemed fair to me."

Something happens when the beast within is teased and tempted. Something dangerous. Something inescapable. Something so irresistible no woman would want to run from it.
Whether transforming beneath a cool blue moon, prowling the streets with feline grace and bloodred talons, or panting with pleasure, the shifters come alive to fulfill your wildest fantasies...

Angela Knight - Mad Dog Love
Interstellar empress Zarifa Lorezo desperately needs protection against the royal assassins who are out for her blood. She decides to buy a bodyguard -- a powerful werewolf slave named Rance "Mad Dog" Conlan.
She soon realizes that despite his slave collar, Rance is a very dangerous man -- and not just because he can turn into a seven-foot wolf.

This is the story of Rance Conlan, a genetically engineered werewolf from the Freeworld and Zarifa Lorezo, the empress of Throneworld. The story is in a futuristic setting (year 2450). Slavers have captured Rance and Zarifa, in need of protection, buys him to escort her on a mission for her freedom.

According to Angela Knight this is a werewolf story, but in an entirely different universe from the Mageverse series. Since I have not read anything in that series yet and Angela Knight is a new author for me I was able to make my review without comparing both worlds.
As said this was my first encounter with Angela Knight's writing and I must say that although at times it was a bit too Star Trek/Star Wars for my taste, I still enjoyed this lovely tale of passion and betrayal.
The main characters were good together, having more to them than met the eye and even if it was short I did get a good picture of their personalities. There were some intriguing secondary characters, adding to the futuristic feel of the story and the plot was surprising.

I think I'm going to have to make time for the Mageverse series soon because this little taste of Angela Knight's writing certainly does ask for more.

Quote
She might own him, but just now, he owned her. Her body danced to his tune, her breathless voice begged for the pleasure only he could give.







Lora Leigh - A Jaguar's Kiss (part of the Breeds Series)
I could not find a back cover/synopsis for this story but in the book itself was a little explanation about the origin of the Breeds. A small summary:
They were created, not born. Trained, not raised. Humans genetically altered with the DNA of the predators of the earth: wolf, lion, tiger, cougar, jaguar.
Now they are banding together, creating their own society fighting to hide the only secret that can destroy them. The secret of mating heat, the chemical, biological and emotional reaction of one Breed to the man or woman meant to be his or hers forever. It's their Achilles' heel, their strength but also their weakness.

This is the story of Natalie Ricci, a non-Breed teacher and Saban Broussard, a Jaguar Breed; he's Cajun and a Breed Enforcer.
When Natalie is given a position as the first non-Breed teaching Breed children in a public school, Saban is assigned as her bodyguard to escort her to her new job just outside Breed headquarters. When Saban lays his eyes on Natalie he knows she is his mate. Saban binds her to him in a way that takes away her freedom of choice.
Natalie, who is not familiar with the ways of the Breeds and is just coming from an ugly divorce from a controlling husband, doesn't give in with out a fight.
The outcome is inevitable, even when her ex-husband, instigated by the Breeds enemies, comes to cause trouble.
Natalie and Saban are great together and perfect for each other. Saban is alpha, protective, possessive and determined. Natalie is fierce, intelligent and independent. She has a dry sense of humor and despite the strong, initially physical, attraction between them she gives Saban a hard time in convincing her she is his mate.

Lora Leigh describes Natalie's struggle and Saban's determination in a very emotional and captivating way. She gives this short story an unexpected and fascinating depth. Same goes for the love scenes; they are spine tingling.

In the anthology this story had the biggest page count and though the story was masterfully set up and worked out at the end I was really craving more.
The concept of the Breeds, their abilities and everything that surrounds them is truly appealing to me in this novella.
This story is part 15 in the Breeds series and although I have read other Lora Leigh books, it is my first encounter with this series. It made me want to go for the full-length books immediately to get acquainted some more with this -to say the least- fascinating world.

Quote
Natalie, after Saban has bound her to him against her will: " I don't care if Coyote's are swarming Sanctuary with grenade launchers. Get some of those badass Breeds you prize so highly out here to collect him, or I'm going to kill him. And after I kill him, I'll hang his mangy, worthless hide in my front yard to show everyone else exactly how it's done.








Alyssa Day - Shifter's Lady (part 4 of the Warriors of Poseidon)
Alpha were panther Ethan is finally starting to make an edgy peace with the first Atlantean to encroach upon his territory. But will he need to make room in an even rockier terrain -- his heart -- when the Atlantean's beautiful sister Marie arrives and disrupts every facet of Ethan's well-ordered existence?

Marie has decided to visit her brother (Bastien from part 2) on the surface and meet his new life mate, Kat. She travels to the preserve where they live but when she arrives Bastien is summoned to join the search for Justice (if you want to know what happened to Justice you have to read Atlantis Awakening or this novella). So Marie is left alone with Kat and a very intriguing were panther, Ethan, a shape shifter who ignites something inside her she never has experienced before.

Marie is the First Maiden of the Temple of Nereids of Atlantis. That’s a mouthful but it comes down to being the head midwife of Atlantis. She has always led a bit of a passive life. Devoting her life to the Temple. Even though it's a dangerous time on the surface, outside Atlantis she decides to visit her brother and not even Alaric can persuade her not to go.
Ethan is the Alpha Male of the Big Cypress panther pride. Once he had his eyes set on Kat Fiero and thought she would be his mate but that was before Bastien came along. He is searching for the person or creature that is attacking and killing panthers in his pride. The discovery of who and why is surprising and the issue is solved in a thrilling climax. Marie makes his world turn on its axis the moment he first sees her.

The chemistry between Ethan and Marie is instant, explosive and very sensual. I was afraid at first that Marie wouldn't be the fierce, brave heroine that Riley, Kat and Erin were but I was wrong. She really stood her ground with Ethan, giving him a run for his money. Still as much as I loved Marie it was Ethan who stole the show for me in this novella. All male, all panther, all alpha and of course he possesses the signature quirky, dry sense of humor all Alyssa Day's heroes have.

It was great to see Bastien and Kat again, their story was also a short one in an anthology so to see how they were doing after their story was very welcome.

I have but one complaint about this novella. It was TOO darn short!
In the mere 67 pages there were smile-inducing moments, inner thoughts and dialogues. Sensual love scenes, a breathtaking fight scene and the humor were once again trademark Alyssa Day: exquisite. I can't but praise Alyssa Day's witty writing style.
Both the wit and the chemistry provided some many quotes I wanted to share but if I used them all it would be half of the story. I found it very difficult to chose just two when normally in novella-reviews I have trouble even finding one. For me this says a lot for Alyssa's writing.
I absolutely adored this newest installment in the Warriors of Poseidon series. I love the world, I love the characters, and I love the action. I'm not favorable to short stories but I loved this one. Alyssa Day is one of the very few authors who manages to pull that of.
And even if this story had a different feel to it because it was more about the shape shifters than the Atlanteans, it still fits right in the series. The ongoing plot from the full-length books doesn't return in this story but to be honest I didn't really miss it.

Quotes:
Marie smiled up at him, and the bottom dropped out of his world.

Marie: "Must I have the same talk with you that I have had with my brothers so many times over the centuries? The one about individual responsibility? Where I explain in very simple words that I am no fragile Atlantean flower to be cared for and coddled in a hothouse?"
Ethan: "Simple words might be a really good idea, beautiful, because I'm having a hell of a fight with my inner cat right now, who wants to carry you off, strip you bare and lick all of that deliciously creamy skin of yours."







Virginia Kantra - Sea Crossing (first part of the Children of the Sea series)
Emma March, seduced and left with her reputation ruined by the Governor of the girls' school where she is a teacher, decides to leave England, go to Canada and try to build a new life there. But then the ship wrecks in a storm and she falls overboard.
A seal saves her and from then on her life takes a whole other direction than she had in mind.
Griff(ith) is a Selkie (seal shape shifter) and the warden of "the Sanctuary", where the adolescent selkies are taken for their "change". He is sent off by the prince of the sea to find a teacher for these unruly young seals. He finds Emma and brings her to the Sanctuary.
Both Emma and Griff feel the powerful attraction between them, but Emma is reluctant to act on it because of her previous experience with men.
She decides to stay on the island and teach the children but she keeps Griff at a distance.

For me this was the least appealing story in the anthology. My connection with the characters wasn't really there although Virginia Kantra has a lovely writing style and this novella really holds potential for the full-length novels that will follow in this series. But I really don't know what to make of the whole of it. The story didn't have a real plot. It's mostly about the feelings between Griff and Emma and normally I don't have anything against that because I love a character-drive story as much as action-driven stories but the chemistry just wasn't there for me. This can be because the concept of a seal shape shifter being new to me. I'm used to wolves, dragons and felines. These are a very different kind of shape shifters. I couldn't conceal the alpha behavior with a seal, but that can be just me.
This being said I must say that the story was nicely paced, the chemistry between Emma and Griff and the love scenes were great. The characters could have been fleshed out a bit more but since it's a novella that is to be expected.

Still I am curious as to how the full-length books in this series will turn out. Maybe I will give the first one a go just to make sure that the feeling I had with this story is because it's a story in anthology.







In conclusion I have to say that with the exception of the last novella this was an anthology that surpassed my expectations and one of exceptional quality compared to other anthologies I have read. The novellas had potential and focused my attention on authors I didn't know yet and a series I'm dying to get into. And the novella in the series I did already know didn't disappoint either.
It is most definitely an anthology worth having on your bookshelves if you have a thing for shifters!

To rescue the world from an overwhelming evil, Poseidon's warriors have risen from Atlantis. Chief among them is Ven, serving as the King's Vengeance by birthright and by battle challenge. None can conquer him - except perhaps for one human female...

The warrior...
Ven's mind is filled with duty. He must serve as Atlantean liaison to the humans in a war waged against the vampires. A sword is his weapon -not diplomacy. But on a mission to recover the Nereid's Heart -a ruby of immense power- it will take every ounce of strength he possesses to resist the sexual allure of the beautiful witch chosen to work with him.

And the witch...
Erin's heart is filled with vengeance. She lives only for the chance to punish those who murdered her family. Now she must partner with a legendary Atlantean warrior whose dark desire threatens to crash through the barriers she built around her emotions -and her heart. Caught in a trap of shifting alliances, how long can Ven and Erin resist their awakening passion?

The thrilling ride continues with a vengeance. Alyssa Day has certainly delivered on the promising first installment of this amazing series. Giving me, as a reader, everything I was anticipating and even more.
This is book 3 in the series, the second full-length book and it left me with a very positive and urgent feeling of wanting and hungering. As the alpha-males in the books say: "MINE", all I can say is "MORE" and "NOW"!
I'm still dazzled by the genius plot, the unexpected turn of events and the compelling characters. Miss Day knows how to pen down a book that takes you far and deep into an enthralling and action-filled world combined with magic, love and humor.

From the first page the action grabbed me along with the instant and strong attraction between Ven and Erin.
The wit and bantering between the characters was very entertaining. Especially between the warriors, underneath all the bantering and teasing you can feel their bond and care for each other.
Ven caught my attention in Atlantis Rising with his sharp sarcasm and utter alpha attitude. He's a true contradiction. So tough and big bad warrior one moment and so caring and protective of Erin the next. But still, and this is what amazes me in Alyssa Day's male characters, without coming across as weak or wimpy.
Erin is his perfect match, carrying a tougher front than she really is, hiding her hurt and power deep inside.
The attraction between Ven and Erin is raw, pure and elemental and the way it is described is absolutely fitting, combining the most sensual love-scenes and great sense of humor with such ease. Hot and steamy one minute and funny the next.
I loved all the characters; they all have their place in the big picture. They are all strong, brave and all possess that tantalizing wit, be it main or secondary characters.
The men are alpha-males, dominant and territorial but in a great way. The women are gifted and fierce, not ready to play the lady in need of rescuing but playing their part as efficiently as the men. Not ready to be dominated but treated as the equal they are. I may have said it before but I really love Alyssa Day's heroines and I'm very sure she has some more where Riley and Erin came from.
There are some secondary characters that really fascinate and puzzle me. What will become of them? What is their agenda? What is there more than meets the eye?
Absolutely fascinating! Waiting for these answers will be pure torture!

After the introduction and world-building in the first book and Bastien's short story Alyssa Day takes us further into this intriguing battle against evil and this unique world of Atlantis she has created. With unexpected twists and turns, wonderful characters, a delicious hero and a fierce and gifted heroine.
Thought you can read all the books as stand-alone for the full picture it is better to have read the previous installments, especially Atlantis Rising. As some of the secondary characters of that book play crucial roles in this book.
More fascinating concepts, characters and plotlines are introduced and worked out. But also some surprising and puzzling family-connections, leaving you eager to know how things are going to progress. Storylines are subtly set up and you just know will be revealed in future books, but still leaving plenty of room for some speculation.
The world and the story are captivating and the action never slowed down, keeping me on the edge of my seat, wrapped into this thrilling and magical read, fast-paced and action-packed.

In my book-collection Alyssa Day has most definitely earned her place with this series.
Her talent of combining a unique and utterly witty sense of humor with an action-filled and original plot and still leaving room for an enthralling and intense love-story speaks for itself and just says it all.

Quotes:
"Don't think that what happened between us gives you any rights over me," she said, careful to keep her voice low. "I will sit wherever I choose and do whatever I want."
Deadly calm washed over his expression, belying the suddenly feral look in his eyes. "If you wish to force me to call battle challenge on my friends and brother warriors, feel free to push me in this matter. Be advised that battle challenge is almost always to the death, so choose carefully which of them you wish to see die."

Animal Magnetism – Maggie Shayne
Listen to the secrets of a beautiful animal whisperer who’s drawn intimately closer to danger, and t the most suspect of all male animals: man...

I liked this story very much. As known in Anthologies, the stories are too short for full indepth charactarization but Maggie Shayne did a good job nonetheless. The story is about Macy MacNamara, a vet who can “talk” to animals, and Jay Harris, a hot detective who brings a dog in that was shot by a serial rapist and the rest you can fill in yourself: vet and detective fall in love, have sex and in the meantime also solve the case of the serial rapist.
This sounds very shallow but the story absolutely wasn’t! Ms Shayne has a fast-paced and appealing writing style and I would love to read more of her work.







Paradise - Meljean Brook
Follow the dark shadows that stalk both the living and the undead in a world of restless vampires and guardian angels...

I don’t know what to think of this story, There were lots of interesting elements: Selah: a female Guardian Angel and Lucas Marsden: a male vampire, a very nasty Demon, a pact with Lucifer. But the mix of it into a story didn’t quite do it for me.
It was well written but no heavy emotions were stirred while reading it. Whereas the previous story (by Shayne) left me wanting more and full length work, with this one I dare say I’ll not be buying something by Meljean Brook soon.







Hunter Kiss – Marjorie M. Liu
Enter the forbidden and recklessly exciting world of the demon horde and their willing victims...

Great story despite being written in I-form (first person). I don’t particularly like this form of writing but the story fascinated me so much that it didn’t bother me at all and the characters, both main and secondary more than made up for it.
The story is about Maxine Kiss, a Demon Huntress and Grant Cooperon, an ex-priest who can read aura’s and change them with the music he makes. Maxine has 5 demons tattooed all over her body; “The Boys”. Leaving her body at sunset and returning at sunrise,they are her guarantee for immortality. They remind me of Kenyon’s Simi (Acheron’s demon).
It’s an enticing, well written story that left me wanting more, full length work by Ms Liu
Quote:
...mouth curving into a smile that is more intimate than any touch; unspoken, secret, a riddle between my heart and his, where the truth is simple and profound: I belong with him. And he belongs with me.







Wild Hearts in Atlantis – Alyssa Day
Get swept away by the passions that rise out of the unfathomable depths of the lost city of Atlantis...

The fourth and last story brings me to known territory, since Alyssa Day’s first Warriors of Poseidon full length novel (Atlantis Rising) is already on my bookshelf.
The story starts with the wit and banter between the Warriors I loved so much in Atlantis Rising so I started with a big smile.
And the only disappointment was the fact that this was an Anthology-length story: too short to make it really, really good.
When you have a limited amount of pages you must cram everything in that small amount and that takes away the intensity the full length books can create.
But that said it was nice to read Bastiens story, the Atlantean Warrior of Poseidon who finds his lifemate in Kat(herine) Fiero, half shapeshifter (panther)/half human.
Quote:
Bastien: Oh damn. Poseidon, please help your humble warrior here. Because I’m falling down a black pit of lust-induced stupidity.

I read this book in March 2007


Eleven thousand years ago, before the seas swallowed the Atlantaens, Poseidon assigned a few chosen warriors to act as sentinels for humans in the new world. There was only one rule-desiring them was forbidden. But rules were made to be broken…

When she calls…
Riley Dawson is more than a dedicated Virginia Beach social worker. She's blessed with a mind link that only Atlantaens have been able to access for thousands of years. Being an "empath" may explain her wistful connection to the roiling waves of the ocean, the sanctuary it provides, and the sexual urges that seem to emanate from fathoms below…

He will come.
Conlan, the High Prince of Atlantis, has surfaced on a mission to retrieve Poseidon's stolen Trident. Yet something else has possessed Conlan: the intimate emotions-and desires-of a human. Irresistibly drawn to the uncanny beauty, Conlan soon shares more than his mind. But in the midst of a battle to reclaim Poseidon's power, how long can a forbidden love last between two different souls from two different worlds?

When it comes to the choice between duty and love...Is there really a choice?

What do you get when you put together a hot Atlanthean Prince, his sexy Warriors, a witty human empath, a pack of rebel shape-shifters, a powerfull and depraved vampire goddess, a bunch of bad, bad vampires and an even more powerful seagod?
A fun and definitely sizzling beginning of a terrific series!

Ms Day promised and delivered, signed and sealed.
I read some reviews on the net that stated that because this is a first in the series it was packed with too much information...I really did not experience this. Yes there was information but it was so well delivered it never bothered me a bit. I took it all in with the plot. And some plot it was. Everything just fell into place. The hero, the heroin, the secondary characters, the evil villains...everything.
What I liked best in this book was the humor. It was really a fun-packed read next to the sensuality and ingenius plot.
Both Conlan and Riley come up with remarks and thoughts that just made me laugh out loud. And let’s not forget the others: Ven, Alaric, and Quinn.

The book just exudes alpha male testosteron, especially in the interactions between the warriors. And Riley does a fine job standing her ground in the midst of the raging testosteron. It was so refreshing that she just blurts out everything that’s on her mind. This of course adds to the humor in the book.
Riley is one kick-a$$ heroin. If I were to make a list of my favourite heroins, she’d be at the top of my list: funny, spontaneous, loving, feisty and brave. A perfect match for hot, tall and dark Conlan.
When she called out to Anubisa: “hey b#tch, wanna play” I just wanted to cheer for her!

And Conlan is endearing and awesome at the same time. And this was also why I liked this book so much. Ms Day gives a different twist to the all-known “alpha male”. Where in some other books there have been some that annoy me with their all dominant: I-am-the-big-strong-man-and-you-are-the-weak-female-so-do-as-I-say, I really didn’t get that vibe from these warriors and don’t get me wrong, I really count these ones among some of the hottest alpha’s I’ve read so far. But they also acknowledge their own weaknesses (without coming across as weaklings!) and fight them, instead of projecting them to the women they love. Maybe it’s the humor with which it’s written that causes this feeling.

And now confession time: I have to admit that the character I liked best in this book wasn’t Conlan or Riley. It was Ven! (Can’t wait for his book!!)
He caught my attention before even Conlan did with his sarcastic witty remarks but what did me in was:
Anubisa is going to find out exactly what it means that I am the King’s Vengance [...] I’m gonna shoot me some vengance right up her puckered a$$[...]The b#tch is going down.
Now there’s a man after my heart!